scrubbedexpat099

It has been many many years, but the Cumberland? Hotel by Marble Arch.

christmasoompa

Is Canada not an option? Would be a heck of a lot easier for you to move to than the US, and there's a lot of hockey games that need coverage..........

MLSNut

Yeah I mean the 1 year Canadian VISA is an option I've looked into but a year is so short you know I'd hate to get settled then have to pitch up home again, especially if I'd met someone.

Chrisdc

Mmmm.... I hear there is a place called "The Internet" that is hoaching with them...

MLSNut

Haha, nice Chris. Bit vague though just saying the Internet! This place needs a singles section, embrace evolution.

Chrisdc

OMG

OKCupid.com and plentyoffish.com

Happy now??

;-)

christmasoompa

That's only one visa out of a possible 50 or so routes - if you wanted to go more permanently, then how about a normal Temp Work Permit (which is for up to four years), or even Permanent Residency? Journalists are one of the qualifying occupations under the Self-employed route to PR, so you could apply in the UK with no need for a job offer, and move over as PR.

Plus of course the one year Working Holiday Visa is available for a second year, and then if you had met someone she could sponsor you, or you could get your employer to sponsor you for PR (no cost to them, unlike the US).

Hence why I said Canada would be much easier for you if you are interested in it.

scrubbedexpat099

match.com

christianmingle

facebook etc has been used as well, online gaming, the list is endless.

MLSNut

Oh wow! I had no idea we qualified under the self employed route! I think some damn good research is due tonight! I can stand by the border and just holler until an American girl takes an interest haha.

gemmabl

I not sure from your posts exactly how much time you have spent in the US, and that will make a huge difference. This is a wonderful country to live in, but you do sacrifice a lot when moving here (vacation time at work, affordable health care, public transportation - unless you live in one of the bigger cities).

If you haven't spent more than a few months here, you might want to come over first and figure out if you really do want to live here. A lot of people in the UK have misconceptions about what living in the US is really like, and when they get here they're often surprised by how different it is compared to their expectations.

Also, the majority of people here don't really respect soccer as a sport, so if that is your passion be prepared to hear constant comments about how "soccer is a girls sport" and isn't real football.

I guess my question is: Why exactly do you want to live in the US?

Sally Redux

and marrying someone just to get in could well bring a double dose of misery.

MLSNut

I've spent closing on a year there. When I visited I wasn't spending it like a tourist either, she had 2 jobs which meant I was living quite a normal life of helping her at work then coming home setting down for the night same again the next day.

I'm aware of the things you lose like free healthcare etc, and while I appreciate my public transport here it's not enough to keep me haha.

It's very much a mutli-faceted answer really.

From a lifestyle perspective, I just appreciate the vibe of the country, the people as a whole are a lot more community orientated and I like that. I want to be part of a community. Now that's not enough to hitch up and move of course, my work is vital consideration.

I'm well aware of how some people perceive soccer in the US. I've even proved a few gentlemen wrong on just how physical our game can be. But it's important to remember that's changing. Teams are getting their own stadiums and the game is steadily growing as people appreciate the sport. I don't think it will ever be the level of the NBA or NFL but it's growing and that's what attracts me.

MLS has so much more space and potential before it hits their glass ceiling. The Premier League doesn't. Having had interaction with a club out there they were amazingly receptive to me and what I wanted to do. They've already been far more facilitating to my requests and willing to hear my suggestions than clubs here.

Ultimately I want to be involved in something I can grow. Something that I can look back on and say yeah I helped proliferate that in a country that once saw it as a sport for kids and girls in college.

Plus I never get tired of the "Are you British?" question

EDIT: I should add I don't want to just marry someone to get in, in fact I'm completely opposed to that idea. I want love before I consider putting a ring on it. I only intend to marry once, and not for a greencard...

Noorah101

You visited the USA for close to a year, and also worked 2 jobs here? What visa were you on?

Rene

MLSNut

I mean close to a year combined in terms of trips.

By working I mean I went with her to her job at a charity and dog walking and helped out, it wasn't anything official but it gave me the chance to see what it would be like.

Bob

Boo. I read your username as MLSSlut and snorted, then realised it was MLSNut.

Oh well....good luck!

Though a good option would be a staff writer for a decent sized paper and get them to send you over to cover a competition in the US or cover the pre-season matches.

There are loads of English teams playing in the US at various locations. Liverpool v Roma in Boston, Oxford United are playing a few lower league teams in New Hampshire and that's just the local ones off the top of my head.

If nothing else, it gets you a bit of US experience, exposure and a chance to build some contacts.

Last year, the Oxford matches were covered by their PR guy, who also filmed the games with a handycam, so nothing sophisticated, so possibly a better chance of a in, to help with the PR side of things.